Iup basketball

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fairmont State posted its roster. They signed a freshman center listed at 6'6" and 315 lbs. That's a big dude.

He might be better suited for the crash and crush of PSAC West play. Seems like down that way it's more about having a fleet of quicker players who can move. It was the IUP men's Catch 22. Do you gear up for the style of play in the PSAC West or do you get ready for what you see from the West Liberty types come regional playoff time? Seems like Joe chose the latter.

I admit that I can't recall much about how FSU played last season. Maybe they are transforming the MEC back to power basketball.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fairmont State posted its roster. They signed a freshman center listed at 6'6" and 315 lbs. That's a big dude.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

That is a huge break. That place is insane when the students are on campus.

The IUP / Bowie game is almost always a thriller. They will play anybody, anywhere ... lot of respect for the program down there.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Iup basketball

I'd have to assume the remaining non-conference games will be a little lighter in stature. Findlay, Ferris State and Fairmont State ... pretty tall order.

Bowie State, a somewhat regular guest, is already on quite a few other schedules so we may not see them this year.

Bowie released their schedule today. They host IUP on Wednesday, November 22nd in Bowie, MD. That is a little bit of a break for IUP as Bowie won't have students at that time due to Thanksgiving break. I have been over there two of the last three seasons and that is by far the rowdiest student section in D-II that I have seen.

Bowie will come into that game real tested, as will IUP, having played at Duke in an exhibition and then play at Shepherd (a team that returns almost the entire squad from a 19-win team), play Wheeling Jesuit (another Atlantic Region contender), at Bloomfield (a 2017 NCAA squad and 22-game winner), at Alderson Broaddus.....and then host IUP. Coach Brooks never backs down in his non-conference schedule.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I agree with you guys. I think had she been pursuing head jobs she would have had one already (easily). Maybe she'll be the heir apparent when Tom hangs it up. I don't know how old Tom is but I'd have to guess about 60 or so.

ICH: I'd have to agree Fite seems like the logical choice to pursue hard when Joe retires. Then again ... at his age and incredible building job at Ship I could see Fite getting some looks from lower-level D1 programs in the very near future. He's got to strike while the iron is hot. Dustin Sleva's don't grow on trees. In a way I could see Joe riding out Dante's last two years and wrapping it up. I could also see him staying another decade. It's a pretty sweet gig for the D2 level ... probably a Top 5 job when you factor in facilities, program tradition and pay.

Re: Iup basketball

Fite needs to be the next IUP head coach after Bravado retires. No hurry for that though.

It's amazing that the women's program has kept Mazzante for as long as they have. With her hoops pedigree you'd think that programs would have broken down her door with job offers.

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Mazzante + Gannon = national championship. i have been saying it for a while. Somebody needs to make this happen. Wake up AD!!

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fite needs to be the next IUP head coach after Bravado retires. No hurry for that though.

It's amazing that the women's program has kept Mazzante for as long as they have. With her hoops pedigree you'd think that programs would have broken down her door with job offers.

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Allen Payne has joined Joe's staff as an assistant. He was a three-year starter at Auburn and was most recently a grad assistant at Xavier.

I hated to see Trey Woodall leave after only one year but I think he has a very bright future in coaching. I know for all the more they can pay assistants in D2 basketball you aren't going to keep them around very long. Fite staying at IUP so long was a pretty rare exception.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I think you're looking at the 2016-17 schedule (last year). IUP hasn't posted the non-conference schedule yet. If you change the drop box at the top you can see the 2017-18 conference schedule (only).

I saw the Urbana game for this coming year on the Urbana web site.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Okay, the men's 2017-18 schedule is not up yet, while the women's schedule is. Okay, got it. I was wondering what was going on there.

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

IUP will play Urbana on Saturday, Nov. 11 as part of the S&T Bank Tip-Off Tournament. UPJ is also attending. I haven't found the fourth team yet.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Question:

IUP is playing against Findlay and Ferris State to open the season in Evansville. I know these games count for the regular season record.

Despite being against two likely ranked teams, being they are out of region, will they have any effect on strength of schedule when that becomes a hot topic in February?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Slippery Rock landed 6'9" PF Richard Bivens from Florida International. He'll have one year of eligibility.

Reynolds has put together a nice class. He also signed two players from Harford -- guard Aaron McDonald (he had a ton of offers in the PSAC/MEC) and PF Micah Till. Till is a prototype Rock post player -- about 6'7" and 250 lbs. and a big-time rebounder/defender.

McDonald and Till were teammates with IUP recruit Dom Keyes at Harford.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Interesting late player available ... Dyllon Hudson-Emory (6'7" G/F) has left Holy Family. He scored about 23 ppg last season. He has one year of eligibility.

No idea of the back story ... sounds like he'll be a nice, late snag for somebody.

That's the second major player they lost. Randy Bell, who got a lot of IUP buzz the past two seasons, also left and ended up at Lynn (FL).